Post by Phoenix on Oct 12, 2012 22:46:30 GMT -5
Name: Honeykit > Honeypaw > Honeynose
Age: 30 moons
Gender: she-cat
Clan: StoneClan
Rank: Warrior
Picture: one.two.three
Description: Though not the most beautiful she-cat, Honeynose is not a pain to look at. Taking after Smokeface, most of her medium length fur is composed of a grayscale, ranging from white to a dark gray. The fur around her face does get darker like it does on her mother's, and she has Smokeface's softer features in comparison to Longclaw's harsher ones. However, the she-cat also has some of her father's looks in her. The occasional light orange patch on her body is reminiscent of the lighter tones of his deep orange fur. The most noticeable of these is the spot on her nose, which is the origin of her name. Dark yellow eyes resemble her father's more than the lighter yellow from Smokeface, though they are not nearly as intense; instead they are brighter and show more emotion.
Thick fur protects her from the chill of leaf-bare and hides a lean frame. Far from the tallest feline, Honeynose does have somewhat long legs. While most warriors walk with a semblence of dignity, this she-cat tends to trot, occasionally skipping if she feels particularly care-free.
Description Summary: A slightly smaller, medium-furred, gray she-cat with a light orange spot on her nose and dark yellow eyes.
Personality:
History:
Honeykit
The bond between Longclaw and Smokeface was not exactly formed by love; rather, an equal appreciation and respect for the other feline's abilities drew them together. Both, after all, were above average warriors, and their personalities allowed them to converse and communicate with minimal exasperation. The thought, of course, was that two brilliant warriors would produce two, equally, if not more, brilliant kits.
And it did. The she-cat had two kits, Thornkit and Honeykit, and for the first two moons of their lives, they saw no one but their mother and father. Smokeface had an very strong protective instinct, and Honeykit remembers nothing of this time except a warm, satisfied feeling of. Eventually, her mother loosened up and let her kits socialize with others, Honeykit and her brother always had the she-cat's watchful, protective gaze on them.
However, it soon became clear who had inherited the most talent out of the two of them. Thornkit showed a natural instinct for battle, and despite their similar size and age, he always came out the victor in every play fight. Only when she teamed up with other kits against her older brother could Honeykit defeat Thornkit, and even then, he called her motives cowardly, as it was at least three against one. Honeykit, on the other hand, called it intelligence; even at that young of an age, she could recognize when she did not stand a chance and knew when to ask for help. Thornkit did not have the same appreciation for this tactic that she did.
As the second kit in Smokeface's small litter and the least talented, Honeykit was often outshone by her older brother. Smokeface, of course, did not make her favoritism painfully obvious, but as she grew older, the little she-cat learned to recognize the signs. And she detested them. Smokeface was a good mother: she praised both of them equally, loved them more or less equally, and gave them advice. However, no matter what she did, Honeykit always felt as though she had to live up to the high standard that Thornkit set. Thornkit was always polite and charming. Thornkit was going to be the best fighter StoneClan had ever seen. Honeykit had her own companions, but no one ever speculated about her future.
But that didn't mean that Honeykit detested her brother. On the contrary, they were very close; Thornkit was a decent tom, even if he developed a bragging problem at such a young age due to the constant praise he received from Smokeface. The she-cat appreciated her brother's company, especially the rare occasions when the two of them on their own and away from their mother's protective watch. When he was not pinning the other kits to the nursery floor, Thornkit often sat with his more thoughtful sister. A bond of trust formed, despite the jealousy that Honeykit felt for her brother's natural skill. Thornkit, however, seemed to accept her for herself, even though she showed few signs of extraordinary talent.
Honeykit treasured the sense of trust that had formed between them, the secrets that they kept from Smokeface and trusted only with each other. Thornkit still wanted to be her brother, and she was proud to be the sister of such a talented tom. It was six moons later that Honeykit stepped up beside Thornkit for their apprentice ceremonies, with all the eagerness and innocence of a kit.
Honeypaw
It was during her apprentice years that Honeypaw's perfect world took a turn for the worse.
Under the competent, if not challenging, tutelage of Cloudrun, Honeypaw thrived. She enjoyed the challenge and the thought that one day, she might actually be able to best her brother in a fight. Cloudrun appreciated his apprentice's devotion and provided steady encouragement. Though her firstborn still received the majority of her praise, Smokeface also noticed the improvement in her daughter.
Thornpaw, on the other hand, had been given their father, Longclaw, for a mentor, and he showed even more promise as he honed and perfected his fighting abilities. His kind, thoughtful personality that complimented Honeypaw's equally thoughtful outlook began to dissipate. For his entire life, he had been better than Honeypaw, and his pleasantness toward her stemmed from the knowledge that he would always be better than her. Now that she had improved so much in such a short amount of him, his good-natured attitude toward her shifted. He could not stand the thought of being second-best to his younger sister, not when he had been on top for so long. To fall was unthinkable.
It was not until she had been a warrior for many moons that Honeypaw finally understood Thornpaw's rapid shift in behavior. When it happened, she was wounded and hurt at first by such a harsh rejection to her polite request for a walk and a talk. She could not understand why her brother suddenly seemed to hate her. What had she done wrong to deserve this kind of treatment? Perhaps it was the way she acted?
And so, Honeypaw went about trying to change herself in hopes of winning Thornpaw back. She emulated him, striving to reach his level in every area, even acting like him to a certain point. The she-cat became more outspoken about her opinions, which she had once kept to herself. It was hard for her to fit into the mold she set, and the change was obvious. Cloudrun noticed, but did not comment on it at first. Thornpaw noticed too, and the effect was counterproductive. Smokeface was too distracted by Longclaw and her son to notice, or if she did, comment on it.
But the effort of trying to become a cat she obviously was not took its toll on Honeypaw. She tired more easily, and eventually collasped, shortly before her mother returned to the nursery. Cloudrun could ignore his apprentice's self-harming habits no longer. In a tone that indicated no arguments, he told Honeypaw to stop trying to be her brother. He told her that she was just as valuable the way she was, that the clan wanted a Honeypaw and a Thornpaw, not two Thornpaws. He told her that he missed the old Honeypaw, who had made his duties pleasant.
It was life-changing for the young she-cat, and immediately, she began to harden her heart against her brother. She began to be herself, and the inner strength inside of her, which had remained hidden, began to show through as she gained confidence in herself. Cloudrun's words had more of an effect than the tom had probably anticipated; Honeypaw took the qualities she liked from trying to act like her brother and incorperated them into her own personality. She had enjoyed meeting new cats and the level of outgoingness that Thornpaw had; that combined with her natural liveliness created a completely new cat. Of course, this one was as thoughtful and intelligent as before, but she had figured out that she could move out from beind her older brother and create a shadow of her own.
This change had a positive effect on Smokeface's second born. She continued to throw herself into her training and continued to improve, though she was still far behind his level in every area. She had learned how to initiate conversations with others and despite her awkwardness, she did not have that much trouble navigating the social circles. She developed a love for the pleasures of life. She had gained a new confidence in herself that had not existed before, and had no qualms about standing up for herself.
Honeypaw finished her apprenticeship with her recreated personality. Cloudrun approved of the change and supported it. Once again beside Thornpaw, she became a warrior.
Honeynose
Predictably, Thornfang, once Thornpaw, was considerably more powerful, strategic, battle-hungry than his sister. He was an ambitious warrior, always striving to become the best; it was a goal he succeeded in, for he surpassed almost everyone with his fighting prowess. Honeynose, named for the spot of color on her nose, was impressed and proud of what her brother had accomplished. They were still on speaking terms, though their conversations were not nearly as relaxed as they had once been.
[16 moons] Moons passed as Honeynose and Thornfang familiarized themselves with their new warrior duties and the resonsibility that came with being a full member of the clan. Smokeface, of course, was proud of her eldest kits, but her newest litters claimed most of her attention. With the birth of Owlkit, Mothkit, and Tigerkit, who were now apprentices, Honeynose had become an older sister and by extension, a role model. She took this role seriously, despite her somewhat carefree outlook. Some of her diligence regarding her duties stems from this mindset, and with the constant new family members, it has stuck around, becoming a habit. During a particularly harsh leaf-bare, Raccoonkit and Sorrelkit were born, though the latter did not survive. They were all devastated, but none moreso than Smokeface. Her protectiveness, which had only increased with the number of offspring she produced, grew, and Honeynose could not help but feel a little sorry for her younger siblings.
When she was 18 moons, the warrior received her first apprentice, Thrushpaw, with combined eagerness and nervousness. It struck her just how much a mentor
influenced his or her apprentice, and the thought that she had that much power both awed and worried her. What if she did something wrong? A creature of habit, she considered turning to Cloudrun for help, but decided against it. She was a warrior now; she could solve her own problems. As it turned out, she was right. Honeynose turned out to be a skilled mentor, with a seemingly unlimited amount of patience and a source for soft encouragement. Her experience with Thrushpaw was a good one, and a strong bond of friendship formed between the two cats, unbroken when Thrushpaw became Thrushflight.
Then Robinkit was born, and the drama began. The sole kit of Smokeface's final litter, Robinkit was the baby, as innocent and playful as ever. Honeynose was quite taken by the young tom, and enjoyed watching as he matured. When he was 5 moons, disaster struck in the form of the nomadic lynx, Demon. The predator struck down the promising kit, and all that remained of him was a clump of bloody fur. The thought of the terror that Robinkit must have experienced in his final moments struck Honeynose to the core, and the violent death that had happened to such an innocent feline chilled her.
But time continued, and Thornfang, who had continued to prove his prowess, received a new name, one more commending of his abilities: Warhawk. Honeynose had to admit that the name suited him better, even if she did not like it. Her litter mate had had all of one moon to bask in the glory that his new name had earned him before disaster struck him. According to her younger brother, Raccoonmask, who had gained his warrior name a few moons back, it was Lionstep, the TreeClan deputy, who killed him. TreeClan's deputy had supposedly held her brother under water until he drowned. Of course, Honeynose was deeply wounded by her brother's death, but she used this to figure out two things.
The first was coming to peace with Warhawk's past actions, particularly when he was still Thornpaw. Nearing 30 moons, she now had experience dealing with other cats, and she could guess at his motives. Chances were that his shift in attitude toward her was nothing personal. Warhawk had always been a competitive tom, satisfied with nothing below the very best. Honeynose had improved considerably in the first few moons of her apprenticeship, learning quickly and soaking up information easily. Had Warhawk, then Thornpaw, felt threatened by this? Did he think that she would challenge his position at the top? Of course, Honeynose could never be sure, but she satisfied herself with this conclusion.
The second was the fact that she did not quite believe the story that Raccoonmask had woven. Honeynose had watched as Raccoonmask and Tigerlily matured into the fine warriors they were today, and something about them seemed off. Particularly in Tigerlily, but she saw some of the same qualities in Raccoonmask. The tom, in particular, she had noted, was obviously after their mother's favor; his personality reminded her a lot of Warhawk's, and there seemed to be an animosity between the two. That, and she had seen Lionstep before at Gatherings. While easy on the eyes, the deputy had given the impression of a genuine, good-natured feline, even from a distance. It was obvious that he knew right from wrong, and ultimately, he did not seem like the kind of cat who would drown another feline, even if said feline was from a rival clan. He did not have that feeling about him.
This revelation lead to a large marker in Honeynose's life. For perhaps the first time ever, she openly disagreed with Smokeface. Her mother, in her crazed grief, had declared a blood feud on Lionstep and his offspring, and knowing how determined and protective Smokeface was of her offspring, Honeynose knew that she would not stop until every feline of Lionstep's blood lay dead. Calling upon that inner steel that had made itself known during her apprentice years, Honeynose had split from the pack; she had refused to participate in this crazy act, even if it meant forfeiting her mother's favor. Her conscious would not let her follow blindly and willingly like her younger siblings.
Other: part of the Blood Feud plot
Age: 30 moons
Gender: she-cat
Clan: StoneClan
Rank: Warrior
Picture: one.two.three
Description: Though not the most beautiful she-cat, Honeynose is not a pain to look at. Taking after Smokeface, most of her medium length fur is composed of a grayscale, ranging from white to a dark gray. The fur around her face does get darker like it does on her mother's, and she has Smokeface's softer features in comparison to Longclaw's harsher ones. However, the she-cat also has some of her father's looks in her. The occasional light orange patch on her body is reminiscent of the lighter tones of his deep orange fur. The most noticeable of these is the spot on her nose, which is the origin of her name. Dark yellow eyes resemble her father's more than the lighter yellow from Smokeface, though they are not nearly as intense; instead they are brighter and show more emotion.
Thick fur protects her from the chill of leaf-bare and hides a lean frame. Far from the tallest feline, Honeynose does have somewhat long legs. While most warriors walk with a semblence of dignity, this she-cat tends to trot, occasionally skipping if she feels particularly care-free.
Description Summary: A slightly smaller, medium-furred, gray she-cat with a light orange spot on her nose and dark yellow eyes.
Personality:
From her name, a feline would expect to find a soft, sweet she-cat in Honeynose, one whose sole desire in life is to have numerous litters of bouncing, baby kits and a large family. The kind of shallow she-cat who would ultimately be more of a burden to an eternally patient tom who obviously deserves so much better. The kind of she-cat with no back-bone, whom any cat could manipulate with ease. How wrong they are. Any feline who treats Honeynose the same way they would treat one of those pathetic she-cats would quickly find themselves in the receiving end of her sharp, sarcastic tongue.
On the contrary, Honeynose is a force to be reckoned with: lively, very creative, and rather spontaneous at times. Completely unafraid of expressing herself, she gives the impression of being an open and easy to read book, wearing her heart on her sleeve for the whole world to see. She has developed a love for life and it's pleasures. Her fun-loving attitude has given her criticism from some of the other warriors, particularly the ones in her age group and older. However, their reactions do not matter too much to Honeynose. The warrior prefers the company of her younger den mates to that of the dried up old ones, whom she believes have forgotten how to enjoy life; she does not respond well to the lectures they preach about rules being there for a reason and the way they look down on her, treating her like an apprentice. And for the most part, she gets along well with the younger, more energetic felines, as she has retained her sharp wit and healthy appreciation for sarcasm. Her sense of humor is not to be overlooked, as she can find some of the most inane things funny; regardless, it is very good and she takes pride in it. Unlike some others, Honeynose knows how to take a joke at her expense. More importantly, she knows how to return the favor.
Odd little habits develop with cats as creative as this one, and she is no exception. The warrior collects pebbles from various places around the territory, sometimes for their color and other times because they remind her about a cat she knows. No matter the reason, she loves them dearly. They hold her secrets, and she has told them things that she does not trust to any other.. being. She holds conversations with them, if she is feeling particularly lonely, and uses her imagination to create responses. If Honeynose spies a pebble that she wants to add to her collection, she immediately fixates on the task of retrieving it and bringing it to safety. Nothing else matters but her and her pebble-to-be.
When it comes to the Warrior Code, this she-cat is very relaxed and even willing to bend some of the more foolish rules. More often than not, Honeynose does so, for she does not necessarily hold the code in high regards. She has her own extremely strong sense of justice, which she follows much more strictly than she does the Warrior Code; Honeynose believes that she knows what's right and what's wrong in the world, and though most of the ideas coincide, she trusts her own instinct more. Others criticize her for this view, particularly the driest, most rule-abiding felines, but she lets it roll off of her like water off of a duck's feathers. Having grown up second-best to her brother, she has developed a thick skin of self-confidence, impenetrable to petty insults like that. For the most part, the words no longer hurt her, or at least not enough for her to notice the hurt.
Despite her love for fun and games, Honeynose does not slack too much on her warrior duties. If anything, she is motivated to work harder, to prove that a cat can still have fun while being a good warrior. And even though she is far from the best warrior StoneClan has to offer, the she-cat is still a valuable asset. What she lacks in natural skill, she makes up for in creativity, thinking outside of the box and coming up with the most ridiculous ideas, some of which work. She always tries to do her best and puts all of her effort into her duties; Honeynose believes that effort is just as important as the end result and has infinite patience for those who try hard but fail. In contrast, she has little tolerance for those who slack off and refuse to do their best.
Throughout her life, Honeynose has always been second to someone in her mother's eyes, be it her late older brother, Warhawk, or whatever new batch of kittens Smokeface has produced. While this has caused her to grow up fairly independent and self-sufficient, it has left negative marks on her as well. Though she would never admit it, the she-cat has a little batch of jealousy in the pit of her stomach, a very small part of her wishing that she was her mother's most loved, her mother's most treasured. This little part of her has been beaten down and controlled by her stronger sense of morals and sheer will, for she is afraid of acting on it and doing something big that she'll later regret forever. But don't think that she hates Smokeface or any of her family members because of it; on the contrary, Honeynose loves her family dearly, regardless of their personal opinions of her. They are the only family she has, and she values them as much as they deserve, occasionally finding herself acting as the moral and just compass. Like she will any other cats in her clan, Honeynose will stand up to her family and warn them and not participate in anything that goes against her beliefs.
The most fundamental part, however, of this she-cat in the steel with which she is built. Once she sets her mind to something, she will follow through with it even if it kills her. On the slip side, she will fearlessly stand up for both herself and her beliefs without a second thought. She will not allow herself to be persuaded from the mindset she has developed very easily; Honeynose believes that she is an intelligent and sensible warrior and trusts her own judgement and observations. This determined, icy side to Honeynose does not surface unless called upon, but it's underlying presence still lingers in her actions and her eyes.
Despite her eccentricities, she is rather guarded around other cats. The she-cat has developed a reputation of being fun-loving and different, but other than that, she is not very sure how much the rest of the clan knows about her. She holds her secrets close. Her reputation isn't an act, but if one were to describe her based off the the way she interacts with others, the description would be incomplete. With her true friends, select and few, Honeynose will completely relax her guard and let them see her for who she really is. A somewhat insecure, very intelligent and thoughtful she-cat, who is capable of providing a shoulder to cry on. And completely loyal to the end.
On the contrary, Honeynose is a force to be reckoned with: lively, very creative, and rather spontaneous at times. Completely unafraid of expressing herself, she gives the impression of being an open and easy to read book, wearing her heart on her sleeve for the whole world to see. She has developed a love for life and it's pleasures. Her fun-loving attitude has given her criticism from some of the other warriors, particularly the ones in her age group and older. However, their reactions do not matter too much to Honeynose. The warrior prefers the company of her younger den mates to that of the dried up old ones, whom she believes have forgotten how to enjoy life; she does not respond well to the lectures they preach about rules being there for a reason and the way they look down on her, treating her like an apprentice. And for the most part, she gets along well with the younger, more energetic felines, as she has retained her sharp wit and healthy appreciation for sarcasm. Her sense of humor is not to be overlooked, as she can find some of the most inane things funny; regardless, it is very good and she takes pride in it. Unlike some others, Honeynose knows how to take a joke at her expense. More importantly, she knows how to return the favor.
Odd little habits develop with cats as creative as this one, and she is no exception. The warrior collects pebbles from various places around the territory, sometimes for their color and other times because they remind her about a cat she knows. No matter the reason, she loves them dearly. They hold her secrets, and she has told them things that she does not trust to any other.. being. She holds conversations with them, if she is feeling particularly lonely, and uses her imagination to create responses. If Honeynose spies a pebble that she wants to add to her collection, she immediately fixates on the task of retrieving it and bringing it to safety. Nothing else matters but her and her pebble-to-be.
When it comes to the Warrior Code, this she-cat is very relaxed and even willing to bend some of the more foolish rules. More often than not, Honeynose does so, for she does not necessarily hold the code in high regards. She has her own extremely strong sense of justice, which she follows much more strictly than she does the Warrior Code; Honeynose believes that she knows what's right and what's wrong in the world, and though most of the ideas coincide, she trusts her own instinct more. Others criticize her for this view, particularly the driest, most rule-abiding felines, but she lets it roll off of her like water off of a duck's feathers. Having grown up second-best to her brother, she has developed a thick skin of self-confidence, impenetrable to petty insults like that. For the most part, the words no longer hurt her, or at least not enough for her to notice the hurt.
Despite her love for fun and games, Honeynose does not slack too much on her warrior duties. If anything, she is motivated to work harder, to prove that a cat can still have fun while being a good warrior. And even though she is far from the best warrior StoneClan has to offer, the she-cat is still a valuable asset. What she lacks in natural skill, she makes up for in creativity, thinking outside of the box and coming up with the most ridiculous ideas, some of which work. She always tries to do her best and puts all of her effort into her duties; Honeynose believes that effort is just as important as the end result and has infinite patience for those who try hard but fail. In contrast, she has little tolerance for those who slack off and refuse to do their best.
Throughout her life, Honeynose has always been second to someone in her mother's eyes, be it her late older brother, Warhawk, or whatever new batch of kittens Smokeface has produced. While this has caused her to grow up fairly independent and self-sufficient, it has left negative marks on her as well. Though she would never admit it, the she-cat has a little batch of jealousy in the pit of her stomach, a very small part of her wishing that she was her mother's most loved, her mother's most treasured. This little part of her has been beaten down and controlled by her stronger sense of morals and sheer will, for she is afraid of acting on it and doing something big that she'll later regret forever. But don't think that she hates Smokeface or any of her family members because of it; on the contrary, Honeynose loves her family dearly, regardless of their personal opinions of her. They are the only family she has, and she values them as much as they deserve, occasionally finding herself acting as the moral and just compass. Like she will any other cats in her clan, Honeynose will stand up to her family and warn them and not participate in anything that goes against her beliefs.
The most fundamental part, however, of this she-cat in the steel with which she is built. Once she sets her mind to something, she will follow through with it even if it kills her. On the slip side, she will fearlessly stand up for both herself and her beliefs without a second thought. She will not allow herself to be persuaded from the mindset she has developed very easily; Honeynose believes that she is an intelligent and sensible warrior and trusts her own judgement and observations. This determined, icy side to Honeynose does not surface unless called upon, but it's underlying presence still lingers in her actions and her eyes.
Despite her eccentricities, she is rather guarded around other cats. The she-cat has developed a reputation of being fun-loving and different, but other than that, she is not very sure how much the rest of the clan knows about her. She holds her secrets close. Her reputation isn't an act, but if one were to describe her based off the the way she interacts with others, the description would be incomplete. With her true friends, select and few, Honeynose will completely relax her guard and let them see her for who she really is. A somewhat insecure, very intelligent and thoughtful she-cat, who is capable of providing a shoulder to cry on. And completely loyal to the end.
History:
Honeykit
The bond between Longclaw and Smokeface was not exactly formed by love; rather, an equal appreciation and respect for the other feline's abilities drew them together. Both, after all, were above average warriors, and their personalities allowed them to converse and communicate with minimal exasperation. The thought, of course, was that two brilliant warriors would produce two, equally, if not more, brilliant kits.
And it did. The she-cat had two kits, Thornkit and Honeykit, and for the first two moons of their lives, they saw no one but their mother and father. Smokeface had an very strong protective instinct, and Honeykit remembers nothing of this time except a warm, satisfied feeling of. Eventually, her mother loosened up and let her kits socialize with others, Honeykit and her brother always had the she-cat's watchful, protective gaze on them.
However, it soon became clear who had inherited the most talent out of the two of them. Thornkit showed a natural instinct for battle, and despite their similar size and age, he always came out the victor in every play fight. Only when she teamed up with other kits against her older brother could Honeykit defeat Thornkit, and even then, he called her motives cowardly, as it was at least three against one. Honeykit, on the other hand, called it intelligence; even at that young of an age, she could recognize when she did not stand a chance and knew when to ask for help. Thornkit did not have the same appreciation for this tactic that she did.
As the second kit in Smokeface's small litter and the least talented, Honeykit was often outshone by her older brother. Smokeface, of course, did not make her favoritism painfully obvious, but as she grew older, the little she-cat learned to recognize the signs. And she detested them. Smokeface was a good mother: she praised both of them equally, loved them more or less equally, and gave them advice. However, no matter what she did, Honeykit always felt as though she had to live up to the high standard that Thornkit set. Thornkit was always polite and charming. Thornkit was going to be the best fighter StoneClan had ever seen. Honeykit had her own companions, but no one ever speculated about her future.
But that didn't mean that Honeykit detested her brother. On the contrary, they were very close; Thornkit was a decent tom, even if he developed a bragging problem at such a young age due to the constant praise he received from Smokeface. The she-cat appreciated her brother's company, especially the rare occasions when the two of them on their own and away from their mother's protective watch. When he was not pinning the other kits to the nursery floor, Thornkit often sat with his more thoughtful sister. A bond of trust formed, despite the jealousy that Honeykit felt for her brother's natural skill. Thornkit, however, seemed to accept her for herself, even though she showed few signs of extraordinary talent.
Honeykit treasured the sense of trust that had formed between them, the secrets that they kept from Smokeface and trusted only with each other. Thornkit still wanted to be her brother, and she was proud to be the sister of such a talented tom. It was six moons later that Honeykit stepped up beside Thornkit for their apprentice ceremonies, with all the eagerness and innocence of a kit.
Honeypaw
It was during her apprentice years that Honeypaw's perfect world took a turn for the worse.
Under the competent, if not challenging, tutelage of Cloudrun, Honeypaw thrived. She enjoyed the challenge and the thought that one day, she might actually be able to best her brother in a fight. Cloudrun appreciated his apprentice's devotion and provided steady encouragement. Though her firstborn still received the majority of her praise, Smokeface also noticed the improvement in her daughter.
Thornpaw, on the other hand, had been given their father, Longclaw, for a mentor, and he showed even more promise as he honed and perfected his fighting abilities. His kind, thoughtful personality that complimented Honeypaw's equally thoughtful outlook began to dissipate. For his entire life, he had been better than Honeypaw, and his pleasantness toward her stemmed from the knowledge that he would always be better than her. Now that she had improved so much in such a short amount of him, his good-natured attitude toward her shifted. He could not stand the thought of being second-best to his younger sister, not when he had been on top for so long. To fall was unthinkable.
It was not until she had been a warrior for many moons that Honeypaw finally understood Thornpaw's rapid shift in behavior. When it happened, she was wounded and hurt at first by such a harsh rejection to her polite request for a walk and a talk. She could not understand why her brother suddenly seemed to hate her. What had she done wrong to deserve this kind of treatment? Perhaps it was the way she acted?
And so, Honeypaw went about trying to change herself in hopes of winning Thornpaw back. She emulated him, striving to reach his level in every area, even acting like him to a certain point. The she-cat became more outspoken about her opinions, which she had once kept to herself. It was hard for her to fit into the mold she set, and the change was obvious. Cloudrun noticed, but did not comment on it at first. Thornpaw noticed too, and the effect was counterproductive. Smokeface was too distracted by Longclaw and her son to notice, or if she did, comment on it.
But the effort of trying to become a cat she obviously was not took its toll on Honeypaw. She tired more easily, and eventually collasped, shortly before her mother returned to the nursery. Cloudrun could ignore his apprentice's self-harming habits no longer. In a tone that indicated no arguments, he told Honeypaw to stop trying to be her brother. He told her that she was just as valuable the way she was, that the clan wanted a Honeypaw and a Thornpaw, not two Thornpaws. He told her that he missed the old Honeypaw, who had made his duties pleasant.
It was life-changing for the young she-cat, and immediately, she began to harden her heart against her brother. She began to be herself, and the inner strength inside of her, which had remained hidden, began to show through as she gained confidence in herself. Cloudrun's words had more of an effect than the tom had probably anticipated; Honeypaw took the qualities she liked from trying to act like her brother and incorperated them into her own personality. She had enjoyed meeting new cats and the level of outgoingness that Thornpaw had; that combined with her natural liveliness created a completely new cat. Of course, this one was as thoughtful and intelligent as before, but she had figured out that she could move out from beind her older brother and create a shadow of her own.
This change had a positive effect on Smokeface's second born. She continued to throw herself into her training and continued to improve, though she was still far behind his level in every area. She had learned how to initiate conversations with others and despite her awkwardness, she did not have that much trouble navigating the social circles. She developed a love for the pleasures of life. She had gained a new confidence in herself that had not existed before, and had no qualms about standing up for herself.
Honeypaw finished her apprenticeship with her recreated personality. Cloudrun approved of the change and supported it. Once again beside Thornpaw, she became a warrior.
Honeynose
Predictably, Thornfang, once Thornpaw, was considerably more powerful, strategic, battle-hungry than his sister. He was an ambitious warrior, always striving to become the best; it was a goal he succeeded in, for he surpassed almost everyone with his fighting prowess. Honeynose, named for the spot of color on her nose, was impressed and proud of what her brother had accomplished. They were still on speaking terms, though their conversations were not nearly as relaxed as they had once been.
[16 moons] Moons passed as Honeynose and Thornfang familiarized themselves with their new warrior duties and the resonsibility that came with being a full member of the clan. Smokeface, of course, was proud of her eldest kits, but her newest litters claimed most of her attention. With the birth of Owlkit, Mothkit, and Tigerkit, who were now apprentices, Honeynose had become an older sister and by extension, a role model. She took this role seriously, despite her somewhat carefree outlook. Some of her diligence regarding her duties stems from this mindset, and with the constant new family members, it has stuck around, becoming a habit. During a particularly harsh leaf-bare, Raccoonkit and Sorrelkit were born, though the latter did not survive. They were all devastated, but none moreso than Smokeface. Her protectiveness, which had only increased with the number of offspring she produced, grew, and Honeynose could not help but feel a little sorry for her younger siblings.
When she was 18 moons, the warrior received her first apprentice, Thrushpaw, with combined eagerness and nervousness. It struck her just how much a mentor
influenced his or her apprentice, and the thought that she had that much power both awed and worried her. What if she did something wrong? A creature of habit, she considered turning to Cloudrun for help, but decided against it. She was a warrior now; she could solve her own problems. As it turned out, she was right. Honeynose turned out to be a skilled mentor, with a seemingly unlimited amount of patience and a source for soft encouragement. Her experience with Thrushpaw was a good one, and a strong bond of friendship formed between the two cats, unbroken when Thrushpaw became Thrushflight.
Then Robinkit was born, and the drama began. The sole kit of Smokeface's final litter, Robinkit was the baby, as innocent and playful as ever. Honeynose was quite taken by the young tom, and enjoyed watching as he matured. When he was 5 moons, disaster struck in the form of the nomadic lynx, Demon. The predator struck down the promising kit, and all that remained of him was a clump of bloody fur. The thought of the terror that Robinkit must have experienced in his final moments struck Honeynose to the core, and the violent death that had happened to such an innocent feline chilled her.
But time continued, and Thornfang, who had continued to prove his prowess, received a new name, one more commending of his abilities: Warhawk. Honeynose had to admit that the name suited him better, even if she did not like it. Her litter mate had had all of one moon to bask in the glory that his new name had earned him before disaster struck him. According to her younger brother, Raccoonmask, who had gained his warrior name a few moons back, it was Lionstep, the TreeClan deputy, who killed him. TreeClan's deputy had supposedly held her brother under water until he drowned. Of course, Honeynose was deeply wounded by her brother's death, but she used this to figure out two things.
The first was coming to peace with Warhawk's past actions, particularly when he was still Thornpaw. Nearing 30 moons, she now had experience dealing with other cats, and she could guess at his motives. Chances were that his shift in attitude toward her was nothing personal. Warhawk had always been a competitive tom, satisfied with nothing below the very best. Honeynose had improved considerably in the first few moons of her apprenticeship, learning quickly and soaking up information easily. Had Warhawk, then Thornpaw, felt threatened by this? Did he think that she would challenge his position at the top? Of course, Honeynose could never be sure, but she satisfied herself with this conclusion.
The second was the fact that she did not quite believe the story that Raccoonmask had woven. Honeynose had watched as Raccoonmask and Tigerlily matured into the fine warriors they were today, and something about them seemed off. Particularly in Tigerlily, but she saw some of the same qualities in Raccoonmask. The tom, in particular, she had noted, was obviously after their mother's favor; his personality reminded her a lot of Warhawk's, and there seemed to be an animosity between the two. That, and she had seen Lionstep before at Gatherings. While easy on the eyes, the deputy had given the impression of a genuine, good-natured feline, even from a distance. It was obvious that he knew right from wrong, and ultimately, he did not seem like the kind of cat who would drown another feline, even if said feline was from a rival clan. He did not have that feeling about him.
This revelation lead to a large marker in Honeynose's life. For perhaps the first time ever, she openly disagreed with Smokeface. Her mother, in her crazed grief, had declared a blood feud on Lionstep and his offspring, and knowing how determined and protective Smokeface was of her offspring, Honeynose knew that she would not stop until every feline of Lionstep's blood lay dead. Calling upon that inner steel that had made itself known during her apprentice years, Honeynose had split from the pack; she had refused to participate in this crazy act, even if it meant forfeiting her mother's favor. Her conscious would not let her follow blindly and willingly like her younger siblings.
Other: part of the Blood Feud plot